Deidre
by SperryDee
Summary: What if Galadriel and Celeborn had a son that no one knew about? And that son comitted suicide, leaving an infant daughter? This is the story of Deidre, niece of Elrond and Celebrian, and granddaughter of Galadriel and Celeborn. AU Sequel Up!
1. Runaway

*Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story, except Celebrandor, Deidre, and Deidre's mom (who I desperately need a name for, please help me!), but everyone and everything else belongs to the greatest of all authors, JRR Tolkien. Flames will be used to roast marshmallows.  
  
*Author's note: The first few chapters seem a bit confusing at first, but they'll make sense as the story unfolds, I promise. I'll post when I can, but if I take a bit long, please don't flame. I'm in school, and I have a lot of homework. Please r/r!  
  
Deidre  
  
Chapter One: Runaway  
  
"Is there nothing we can do to dissuade you?" Celeborn asked. She had only been in Lorien for two days, barely enough time to get some rest.  
  
"Nay, grandfather. I have already stayed too long. When my uncle arrives, I intend to be as far away as possible." Deidre didn't want to face her uncle now, not after what had happened. She was still too angry with him, angry with everyone that had kept the secret of her heritage from her all her life.  
  
Celeborn sighed. Why was she so stubborn? "At the very least, tell us where you are going."  
  
"South, somewhere near Rohan. That's all I have figured out so far." Actually, Deidre knew the perfect place for a runaway elf to hide, but she wasn't going to tell anyone, even her grandparents, who she was closer to than anyone else she knew. "Take this with you, granddaughter. It will help you uncover the mysteries of your past," Galadriel said, holding out two small, cloth wrapped bundles.  
  
Deidre took them, carefully placing them in her pack alongside her food and clothes. "Thank you. I won't be that long, just a few months. Tell my uncle I'll see them at midwinter, if all goes well." Midwinter was five months away, enough time for her to cool down and to have some time to herself, with an ample amount of time to get back to Imladris.  
  
"Namarie, Deidre," Galadriel said as she watched Deidre mount her horse, Swiftrun, and ride off. "You fulfill your name at last."  
  
************************************************************************ Deidre rode hard, stopping only when she had to, though at a less frantic pace than when she had first fled to Lorien. Swiftrun certainly lived up to her name, and provided Deidre with a companion that would listen, but not judge, which was what she desperately needed at the moment.  
  
Deidre's parents had died when she was less than a week old, so her aunt and uncle had raised her as their daughter. She was born only a few weeks after Elladan and Elrohir, and had never suspected anything, even though she bore no resemblance to her cousins. From time to time, small uncertainties would flare up, but in the past, she had just needed to look at her relatives to know that she belonged in Imladris, no matter how the others teased her.  
  
You see, she was no ordinary elf. In many ways, Deidre took after her grandmother. They both shared the same Vanyarin bone structure, the same piercing green eyes, the same fiery spirit and unfathomable stubbornness. But Deidre possessed something that no Eldar before her ever had: red hair. It fell in a river of flame down her back, perfectly matching her temper, as it was often said.  
  
Her hair had caused her to be ostracized by the other children her age. They called her names and occasionally hurt her, though she never let it show, nor told anyone. And yet, their words were small bruises compared to the gaping wound that was her betrayal.  
  
"How I wished I had never gone into Elrond's study!" Deidre inwardly cursed as she drank water from a rushing stream, washing the taste of lembas from her mouth. "All I wanted was that book on astronomy!"  
  
She remembered that day as if it was still happening, and in a way, it was. Deidre couldn't sleep without dreaming of the events that had taken place, and she woke up crying. She had been so happy, trotting up to her Uncle Elrond, who she then called Ada, or father, as he sat talking with Glorfindel and Erestor, and asking if she could borrow that book on astronomy he had told her about, The Naming of Stars. He said yes, giving her the key to his study, and telling her where it was placed. It was only a year until her coming-of-age, but she still felt elated that he had trusted her to not get into trouble.  
  
She had climbed up on Elrond's chair, pulling down the thick, leather- bound tome from the bookshelf above. As she placed it on to the desk, a letter fell out. The seal, one that seemed to her as if she should know it, but didn't, was broken, and the writing was Quenya, in an elegant, yet slightly wavering script, as if the one writing was troubled.  
  
She sat down in the chair, reading the letter. "Dearest Sister," the letter began. "By the time you read this, I will be dead, having plunged myself into Fire Rock Gorge." Deidre knew that gorge quite well, it was a narrow chasm between Lorien and Imladris that was highly dangerous, and when traveling, they had always gone around it, instead of jumping it with their horses, which would have been an easy task. Now she knew why.  
  
"I cannot live without my beloved wife, who passed to the Halls of Mandos barely a day after our child was born. She was my reason for living, and now she is gone. I have no more will to live. Please do not mourn, Celebrian. I am happy, now that I am in my wife's arms again. I have a final request for you, sister. Take Feawen, my daughter. Raise her as your own. Tell her of her heritage when she is of age, but until then, raise her like you would a daughter. Please, Celebrian. I want her to feel like she belongs somewhere, that she is not an outcast. Do this one thing for me, in remembrance of your older brother Celebrandor, who was your most trusted confidante. Please. Farewell, sister. I shall miss you. Yours in final parting, Celebrandor, son of Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn of Lorien"  
  
Feawen, which meant, "fire maiden" or "maiden of fire" was Deidre's mother-name, the one she had been given at birth. "Deidre" had come later from her grandmother, who saw what life would hold for the child and sought to give her a fitting name. "It is fitting after all," Deidre chuckled to herself. "My name means 'wanderer', or 'sorrow', and I have certainly had plenty of both in my life. I was certainly named well."  
  
Deidre had dropped the letter like a hot coal as what it meant had started to sink in. She was not the daughter of Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrian of Imladris, as she had been raised to believe. She knew what she had to do. She would confront them, demanding to know the truth.  
  
As she raced into the chamber where they were, hatred surged through her veins. She felt angrier than she had ever felt, and a bitter, cold remorse at what Elrond and Celebrian would feel once this was through.  
  
"Hello, Aunt Celebrian," she said icily as she stood before them clutching the letter tightly in one hand.  
  
"Deidre, what's wrong?" her aunt had asked, a look of extreme worry on her face.  
  
"Wrong, nothing's wrong, Aunt Celebrian. It's just that I found out what you and Uncle Elrond have been hiding from me all my life: that I am not your daughter, as I was raised to believe, but instead your niece. That my real mother died in childbirth and my real father, who was Celebrandor son of Celeborn, your older brother, committed suicide when I was barely a week old," Deidre hissed, a harsh tone in her voice. She had never spoken to anyone like that, let alone her relatives. Then again, she had never been betrayed by her own family before.  
  
"Where did you find our?" her uncle asked quickly. "Who told you?"  
  
Deidre laughed. "Told me, uncle? Why my father himself, in his letter. It fell out of the bookcase while I was retrieving that particular book I wanted. Reading it told me all I needed to know." As Deidre relived the memory of that conversation, she felt like she was standing outside her own body, looking at a stranger. Had she really acted so cruel? So heartless? "It is of no matter, what is past is past," she thought, mounting Swiftrun again. She would soon be at her destination.  
  
She had seen Elladan, Elrohir, and Arwen's questioning glances. Heard her aunt's explanation of Deidre's parentage, heard the pain in Celebrian's voice as she told of a brother that she had loved dearly, who could not live without his wife. Deidre had flung the key to Elrond's study at them, and then stormed out of the room, heading to her chambers.  
  
She had pulled her traveling pack out of the chest at the foot of her bed, loading it with clothes, some food and water, a parchment map of Middle-Earth, and of course, her precious letter. Then, getting Swiftrun ready quite faster than normal, she rode off toward Lorien, to find out the truth.  
  
************************************************************************ Author's Notes:  
  
*Finwe's second wife, Indis of the Vanyar, was Galadriel's grandmother, and is Deidre's great-great-grandmother, making Deidre 1/16 Vanyar via her. Deidre's mother was ½ Vanyar, making Deidre ¼ Vanyar via her. Therefore, Deidre is 5/16 Vanyar and it is plausible for her to resemble one in build and features, especially since she takes after Galadriel so much  
  
*Those of you who know your Middle-Earth geography or have maps, feel free to take a guess as to where she is headed.  
  
*Again, this is my first fanifc, so please, be nice and review! Thanks to TreeHugger, escapistone, alliwantisanelfforchristmas, and JastaElf for their great fanfics, which led me to write my own. Enjoy! 


	2. Pursuance

*Author's note: Thanks so much to Espionage, my first reviewer! Don't worry, Deidre will be happy in the end. Her sense of betrayal, however, is nothing compared to what her aunt and uncle are going through, as we see in this chapter.  
  
*Disclaimer: See first chapter. Flames will rebound on their writers and Charlie the Naz-Bunny will come after you with her Killer Bunny Battle Cry of Doom.  
  
  
  
Chapter Two: Pursuance  
  
"You should go after her, my love," came Celebrian's voice. "She's never been out this long before."  
  
It had been a week since Deidre had run away, and at first they had dismissed it, thinking she'd be back in a few days, like she had done in the past. Now she had been gone longer than ever, and Elrond had a suspicion that she wouldn't be coming back soon.  
  
"How am I supposed to look for her if I don't even know where she is?" asked Elrond. "That rain three days ago washed away any tracks she could've left, and she could be anywhere by now!"  
  
"Think about it, Elrond," Celebrian said softly. "Who are the people Deidre trusts more than anyone else? You know how close she is to my mother. She probably went to Lorien to hide out for a while. She's bound to have cooled off by now, she's not that obstinate."  
  
"I'll leave with Glorfindel and some guards tomorrow morning," Elrond replied. "We'll go to Lorien and look for her."  
  
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Celebrian had underestimated her niece's stubbornness. As she rode toward her destination, she was only slightly less angry as she had been when she had fled Imladris. She spotted the eaves of Fangorn Forest on the horizon and smiled. No one would bother to look there, and even if they did, they wouldn't find her. She had never believed the stories about it, saying that there were killer trees and such that lurked in the forest, waiting to spring on unsuspecting travelers. Those were merely tales to frighten younglings, nothing more.  
  
She dismounted; leading Swiftrun by her halter, until she found a small clearing that was surrounded by trees. A small offshoot of the Entwash trickled through the clearing, part of it widening into a spring just wide enough to bathe in. Here was where she would stay, she thought as she placed her bag in the bole of a tree to keep it safe. It was deep enough in the forest that no one would be able to detect her presence.  
  
That night, as she lay under the stars wondering, she thought of a song:  
  
The stars shine in the heavens, Like so many shimmering diamonds, Set against the dark cloak of the night sky. Is there a more fitting rainment, For Varda, Queen of the Stars?  
  
The next morning she decided to look at the two bundles her grandmother had given her. One contained a dagger, with a red dragon on the scabbard. Inside was a short note that read : Dear Granddaughter. It is time that you should receive this. It was your father's, and he wished you to have it once you were older. Use it well.  
  
The other package contained a leather-bound diary, its pages blank and its cover embossed with a rose, and another note. A note from her father. It told her how he was sad that he would not live to see her grow up, to become the adventurous and headstrong young maiden he knew she would turn out to be. How, as she read his letter, he and her mother were watching over her.  
  
She cried at the thought of never knowing them, and recalled her flight to Lorien. She had urged Swiftrun on, stopping only when she absolutely had to, sleeping in the saddle, even. She had been too worried that Elrond would follow her, or worse, send her cousins to track her. Elladan and Elrohir already teased her for running away when she was extremely angry, this would just give them more reason to.  
  
When she had arrived at the border of Lorien, she had been stopped by a scouting party, which had been puzzled as to why Galadriel's granddaughter would be traveling alone, and looking so travelworn. Deidre allowed a faint smile to come on her face as she remembered the scout's faces when she gave them a telling-off that was so icy it made a glacier seem like Orodruin. They had muttered that she was worse than The Lady, but let her through. From there, it had been a few hours ride to Caras Galadhon, and her grandparents.  
  
She had known her grandparents would understand. Glorfindel always told her of the times he and Finrod had to go out and try to coax young Galadriel from her hiding place in the branches of a tree when she was mad. Deidre was the same way, save that she was almost impossible to track, and she could remain hidden even when the searchers were inches away, much to Elrond's frustration.  
  
Deidre loved her grandparents more than anyone. When she was little, she used to beg them to tell her stories of long ago, or to help her with her archery. And she knew that no matter what, if she was sad or angry, her grandmother could make it better. That was why she had come to Lorien, at least to rest for a few days.  
  
They had been surprised to see her alone, but once the story spilled out, with Deidre on the verge of tears, both from anger and tiredness, they understood. Galadriel had taken the young elf in her lap and comforted her, brushing Deidre's hair.  
  
Once she had calmed down, Deidre found the courage to ask what her parents had been like, especially her father. Her grandmother had replied that Celebrandor had been tall, even as a young child, like Deidre, and that his eyes were gray, like his father's. He had golden hair, and was always eager to try new things. Deidre had not only inherited her father's height, but also his fine singing voice and his love of the stars. It comforted her to know that she was like him, even if she would never know him.  
  
As Deidre lay against a tree trunk, absentmindedly braiding strands of grass, she thought how wonderful it felt, to be free. She was on her own time, free to do what she wished, when she wished, and no one even knew where she was. Her anger had begun to subside, but she had no intention of going back early. A thought crossed her mind, making her sit blot upright. What if Elrond was mad at her for running away? What if he didn't want her to come back? The more rational part of her mind argued that he was her uncle, and that he could definitely want her back, but she still wasn't sure. There were few things that intimidated Diedre, and Elrond angry was one of them, wether she was the target of his fury or not.  
  
Instantly, she decided that if Elrond didn't want her back in Imladris, and after behaving like she had, even if she had more than a good reason, he had every right to deny her entry, she would stay in Lorien. Let him be on the receiving end of the iciness that only the Lady of Lorien and her eldest granddaughter could muster.  
  
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*Author's note: If someone could please help me with a name for Deidre's mother, it would be much appreciated. And kudos to my friend Alex S., for guessing that she would go to Fangorn. More of Elrond and Glorfindel's pursuit will be in the next chappie, as well as a new character.  
  
*And yes, I'm aware that Galadriel was called Artanis when she lived in Valinor, but for the sake of not confusing my audience, I'm using her name like that.  
  
*Also, the reason Deidre calls the queen of the stars Varda instead of Elbereth is because she has always preferred to use Quenya over Sindarin in her songs, and she understands that Varda will listen to an elf's song of praise, no matter if she is called Varda, or Elbereth, or Queen of the Frosty White Marshmallows(Okay, she might not be too crazy about that).  
  
*Lastly, Glorfindel is approx. the same age as Finrod, Galadriel's brother. Why Glorfy is stuck as second-in-command to a youngster like Elronnd(no offense, I really like Elrond) while Galadriel is ruler of her own land, I have no clue, but more power to Galadriel.  
  
*P.S. I will update as soon as I can, but I'm training for track, and that takes up a big chunk of my time, so if I'm a bit late, be patient with me, please. 


	3. Elrond's Hunt

*Author's note: To CocoBeans, don't worry, Deidre DEFINITELY won't be a MS. She's the exact opposite, in fact, as you will find out later. Besides, I have waged a lifelong fight against the horror that is Mary Sues, and would never write one in. I might write a killer manatee into a LOTR fic, but never a MS.  
  
*To escapistone, don't fret, there will be lots more character development. Deidre is a VERY complex Elf. She's make some psychiatrist a lot of money, that's for sure, and she gets one, kind of, as we see in this chapter.  
  
*And as promised to some friends, you see what happens when Elrond gets to Lorien, as well as a bit about Arwen.  
  
*Disclaimer: See chapter one.  
  
*Before the story starts, Charlie the Naz-Bunny would like me to tell you to please review, and says thanks to escapistone for asking about her in the latest chapter of her fantastic story, A Sense of Fate ;)  
  
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Elrond was saddling his horse, Firemane, when he heard a tiny voice cry "Ow!" Peering behind a stack of saddle blankets, he saw Arwen trying to heave a saddle on to Blackie, her pony.  
  
"And just what are you doing, little one?" he asked with mild amusement. "I'm goin' to find Deidre," Arwen replied solemnly. "I gotta bring her back so Naneth will stop saying it was her fault and be happy again. And besides, Deidre's my big sister, no matter what, and sisters watch out for each other. So I'm goin' to find her."  
  
"This a job for me and Glorfindel, Arwen. I need you to stay here and make sure your brothers don't get into trouble, all right?" Seeing the disappointed look on her face. "C'mon, if you go, who's going to plan her welcome home feast?"  
  
Arwen's eyes light up. "Okay, Ada," she said, nodding her head. "I'll stay here. When you find Deidre, can you tell her I miss her? Tell her she may be my cousin, but to me, she'll always be my big sister."  
  
Elrond was touched by his daughter's words. "Don't worry," he said, hugging her. "I'll tell her. Now, you'd best get to your lessons. Run along." He finished saddling and met Glorfindel in the courtyard.  
  
"Are you sure only you and I should go?" he asked his friend.  
  
"Positive. She won't come easy, and she'll go farther if she suspects something's up. We want stealth, not arms. If she's anything like her grandmother, we'll be in for a tough hunt," Glorfindel replied as they rode off.  
  
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Meanwhile, Deidre was eating a breakfast of lembas, washed down with some berry juice. Lembas was getting a bit tiring, but it was food, at least, and although she was quite good at campfire cooking, Fangorn Forest was not necessarily the best place to look for something to eat.  
  
"What it lacks in food, it makes up for in beauty," she murmured as she climbed up in a mossy old tree that looked like it had been there since the Valar first created Arda.  
  
Fangorn was not graceful and elegant, like the forests outside of Imladris, with their willow trees that bent over the river, nor extrordiarily lovely, like the Mallorn trees of Lorien. And yet, the forest had a wild, untamed beauty to it. It had never been conquered or shaped by anything other than nature itself, and the trees were free to do as they wished; free to grow and produce leaves in whatever way they chose.  
  
"This is paradise," she said lazily as she leaned against the trunk of the tree, forgetting her troubles.  
  
"Glad you think so," came a deep, rumbling voice from behind her.  
  
"Wh-Who's there?" Deidre asked, drawing her dagger from her belt and cursing herself for leaving her bow, quiver, and sword with her other belongings.  
  
The tree astoundingly rose and lurched, nearly knocking Deidre from its branches. "No reason to be frightened," it said slowly. "I don't mean you harm."  
  
"Who, and what are you?" she asked cautiously, sheathing her blade and trying no to fall off.  
  
"I am an Ent, and the Elves call me Fangorn, so you can call me that. Who are you?" came the reply.  
  
"Deidre, daughter of Celebrandor son of the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn of Lorien. I have some here seeking refuge."  
  
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"Deidre left three days ago, at noon. You barely missed her," said Elrond's mother-in-law.  
  
Elrond cursed inwardly. "What do you mean Deidre has left? Where did she go? Why didn't you keep her here?"  
  
"She arrived here a while ago, having ridden nonstop from Imladris. She rested for a few days, then left," replied Celeborn. "She said she was going south, near Rohan, and that she hadn't figured out the rest yet."  
  
Hadn't figured it out yet my foot, thought Elrond. That child's always got a plan, she just never tells anyone. "We'd best be going, then," he said.  
  
"You cannot go after her, Elrond," said Galadriel. "If you bring her back to Imladris against her will, she will only run away again. No matter how you might try to restrain her, she will break free. She is a wild spirit, son-in-law. She said that she would be back by Midwinter, and I know that she will come. She just needs time to sort things out. Some may call her running away cowardice, but it is the exact opposite. She loves her family, and does not wish to hurt them, so she hides until she is not angry anymore, for she fears that in her anger, she will hurt those she loves most. I was the same way when I was her age. Trust me. Now, rest here tonight, and leave for Imladris in the morning. We shall speak of this no more."  
  
"She's right, you know," Glorfindel said as they walked to the rooms they were staying in for the night. "Deidre will be back when she said she would. You know how she is with promises, she wouldn't break one, especially one to her family. She just needs time to sort out her feelings. Of course, she'll probably have harder time than ever trusting people, she'll be even warier than before, but she was going to find out sometime."  
  
Elrond grimaced. Deidre could be more wary than a fox in a field of hunters, and she did have ha hard time trusting people. "I know," he said, sighing. "I love her as much as I do the twins and Arwen, and she'll always be a daughter to me, even if she is my niece. I'm worried about her. Why did she say she was going near Rohan, anyway? What would she do there? There's no settlements of ours that far south, our people haven't been in Ithilien in centuries."  
  
"I know you're worried, Elrond," Glorfindel said, placing a hand on his friend's arm. "It's natural to feel like that. Deidre's a strong maiden, she can more than take care of herself. As for why she went south, I have no idea. Maybe she was curious about mortals, or she just wanted some escape. I have no idea how she thinks, except for the fact that like her grandmother, she's very cunning and hard to fathom. And The Lady was right, you do need to get some rest. I, for one, am very tired. Goodnight."  
  
And with that, Elrond was left to figure out how he was going to explain to his wife and children that Deidre wouldn't be back for a while, and why in Varda's name she had wanted to go near Rohan.  
  
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*Next chapter: Deidre has a talk with Fangorn, and Elrond returns to Imladris.  
  
*Also, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the friends and family to those killed in the destruction of the space shuttle Columbia.  
  
*And, in case I don't get around to posting until after Valentine's Day, happy Valentine's Day, everybody! Don't overdose on candy! 


	4. Why isn't Deidre back yet

* Thanks to Anodien for her 3 reviews, one for each chapter! If you like REALLY good Eowyn fics, please read her Far and Away story, it's fantastic!  
  
*I love hearing your feedback, so please click that little button and REVIEW!!!!!!!!  
  
*Disclaimer: See first chappie. Charlie the Naz-Bunny and her beloved, Twister the Acro-Bunny say hi. We're breeding them next month, and hopefully, there'll be little Naz-Bunny-lings hopping around soon!  
  
*Also, the reason I haven't updated in ages is because my parents banned me from the computer as punishment for not scooping the cat litter for a week (I "accidentally" forgot, and my mom found out).  
  
*Oh, and in this chapter, I'm telling Deidre's part from about a month before she leaves Fangorn, and Elrond 's part from when he gets back to Imladris and from the time of Deidre's part, as well. **************************************************************************** ********************************************************************  
  
As Elrond stabled his horse after the journey from Lorien, Arwen and her brothers ambushed him. "Where's Deidre," asked Elladan.  
  
"Yeah, where is she?" inquired Elrohir.  
  
Elrond sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. "Deidre won't be home for a while, but she promised to be back by midwinter."  
  
"She actually spoke to you?" Elrohir asked, surprised. Elrohir and Deidre were always fighting, and when she refused to speak to him, it was usually for a long period of time.  
  
"Actually, no. She wasn't in Lorien. After she reached Lorien, five days before Glorfindel and I did, she stayed for three days, then left, with a promise that she would be back here by midwinter."  
  
"Where did Deidre go? Why wasn't she with grandma?" asked Arwen, her lower lip trembling.  
  
Elrond picked Arwen up and comforted her. "There, there, Arwen. She gave her word that she'd come back. She just wanted some time to herself, that's all. She said she was going south, near Rohan."  
  
"Rohan?" exclaimed Elladan. "Why would she want to go there? She's never been all that curious about mortals, and plains really aren't her idea of a dream getaway. She's more of the woodsy type; you know how much she loves walking in the forest. Maybe she went to Ithilien. It's got woods, is far off, and our kind hasn't lived there in centuries, so aside from a few human settlements, which should be easy to evade, there's no one there. Seeing as she loves privacy and forests, which Ithilien has in large supply, she might very well be there."  
  
Elladan was usually on better terms with Deidre than his twin, and knew more of her habits. He also was good at linking things together and coming up with plausible explanations very quickly. Unfortunately, when he got on these long explanations, he tended to talk very quickly, and it made it a bit hard to understand what he was saying.  
  
"She may very well be in Ithilien, Elladan. Though I doubt that she'll tell where she was once she gets back. Now, how am I going to tell this to your mother?" Elrond said, thinking.  
  
"Tell me what?" asked Celebrian, standing in the doorway to the stables. "Where is Deidre?"  
  
"Well, you see, umm," Elrond said, trying to decide what to say.  
  
"Deidre wasn't in Lorien when Ada got there, he and Glorfindel missed her by two days. She left a message saying she'd be back by midwinter, though," Elrohir blurted out.  
  
"Yeah, and she said she was going south, near Rohan, but didn't tell any more than that. So now we have to wait a few months longer," Elladan chimed in.  
  
Arwen jumped from her father's arms and ran toward her mother, saying, "Don't worry, Naneth, she'll be back soon. Besides, it gives us extra time to work on her presents!" "That's right, Arwen. Extra time to work on her presents," Celebrian said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. Even if Deidre was really only her niece, Celebrian had always thought of her as a daughter. "Now you'd better get inside, all of you. It's time to wash up for dinner." The twins groaned, and she added, "Don't complain, or you won't get the blueberry pie that's for dessert. Now, scoot, go on."  
  
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"Thanks for letting me stay here this long, Fangorn," Deidre said. During her stay, she and Fangorn had talked quite a bit. He might be a bit slow in giving an answer, but he gives great advice, she thought.  
  
"I'm glad you came. Hoom, Elves are more complex than I ever thought," Fangorn mused.  
  
"Surely you don't view me as a representative for my entire race," Deidre laughed. "I'm the exact opposite of normal."  
  
"Exactly," Fangorn replied. "You're not normal for an Elf. Those who aren't normal often do great things, if they don't get caught up in trying to be like everyone else, and forget their individuality. Such is the fate of many who are born unique. But you, you are unlike anyone else I know of."  
  
Deidre smiled. "Thanks. Trust me, I live to be unique. I can't tell you how many times I drove my aunt and uncle mad because of what I did. Like the time when we visited grandmother and grandfather for Midwinter, and I hid up in a tree and threw snowballs at anyone who passed. Or the time I hid in a tree so I could spy on one of my uncle's councils, and I lost my balance, falling right into the middle of everyone. Or all the pranks I pulled on Elladan and Elrohir, especially Elrohir."  
  
"Speaking of Midwinter, what do you intend to do when you return to Imladris?" Fangorn asked, laughing at the thought of Deidre's pranks.  
  
"I'm probably going to leave in about a month. That'll give me more than enough time to get back, with plenty of time for a stop in Lorien. I intend on inviting my grandparents to come with me," Deidre replied.  
  
"Really? Why?" Fangorn looked surprised. Well, as surprised as a being that resembles a giant, moss-covered tree can possibly look.  
  
"I just want to. I like it when everyone's together at Midwinter. Elrohir doesn't bug me nearly as much, which is a bonus. Besides, I like my grandparents. They're fun, and Grandmother teaches me things."  
  
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Elladan and Elrohir were walking in the gardens of their home when Elrohir suddenly spoke. "You do realize that Midwinter is in two months, don't you?" he asked his twin.  
  
"Of course," replied Elladan. "Deidre'll be home, just in time for the festival."  
  
"That's exactly it. Who knows what she's gonna be like. You saw how she was when she left, what if she hates us?" Elrohir said.  
  
"Elrohir, see reason. We're her family; she loves us, no matter what. Well, she loves most of us. I'm not too sure about you," Elladan said teasingly.  
  
Elrohir's face reddened. "Cut it out," he said through clenched teeth.  
  
"Just kidding, El," replied Elladan. Elrohir was so easy to tease sometimes.  
  
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*Next Chappie: Deidre leaves for Lorien, and says goodbye to Fangorn.  
  
*Also, there will probably only be two or three more chapters in this story, but I DO have a storyline for a sequel, and already have a few pages of scribbled notes I did after the science quiz last week, so it will be up shortly after the end of this fic.  
  
*Keep those reviews coming! I love it when I see feedback!  
  
*BTW, Charlie the Naz-Bunny says hi to all the loyal reviewers! Raarh! (Translation: Hi, Everyone!) 


	5. Back to Lothlorien

*Thanks to all my reviewers! Your little messages make my day bright!  
  
*This chapter: Deidre leaves Fangorn, arrives in Lorien, and leaves for Imladris.  
  
*There will probably be only one or two more chapters after this, but fear not! I have a sequel in the works, though it might take me a bit longer to get posted, as track starts soon (though I'm having second thoughts about track, and might not do it).  
  
*Also, if you like stories about Aragorn when he was young, try reading some of the stories by HobbitsRFun ! She is the best Estel and Elrond fic writer of all time!  
*Disclaimer: see chapter one  
  
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"Namarie, Fangorn," Deidre said, mounting her horse.  
  
"Farewell, young Elf. You will always be welcome here, as well as anyone you bring with you," the Ent replied.  
  
Deidre laughed. "Thank you, I certainly intend to return. I don't think I'll ever bring anyone with me, though. This forest is the perfect hiding place for me, and I have no intention of anyone finding me when I'm here. Goodbye!" Deidre rode off toward Lorien, thinking about how she would best accomplish her plans.  
  
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Galadriel suddenly stopped the embroidery she was doing. She had a pressing urge to look in her mirror. When she got there, she saw something that made her heart leap with joy: Deidre was riding toward Lorien. Doing a bit of calculating, she concluded that Deidre would be arriving sometime that evening, and set out to have a room prepared for her granddaughter. Things were getting better, at last.  
  
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Deidre sighed with happiness as she spied the golden wood of Lorien. They must've known I was coming, she thought, since there was no interference from the sentries this time. She rode into Caras Gladhon, and was met by her grandparents.  
  
"It seems that our little wanderer has returned," said her grandfather, smiling.  
  
"Of course, grandfather. Surely you knew I would keep my promise," Deidre said, smiling back, and hugging her grandfather. "I have missed you."  
  
"As have we all," Galadriel said softly. "Your uncle and the Lord Glorfindel arrived just two days after you left, and your uncle was quite frantic with worry."  
  
"H-he wasn't mad at me for what I did?" Deidre asked, very surprised.  
  
"Of course he wasn't mad, Deidre. You practically scared him out if his wits, storming off like that," Galadriel replied.  
  
A wave of guilt surged over Deidre. She had really made a mistake, running away like that. "Is he okay?" she asked timidly.  
  
"Of course he's okay!" Celeborn said confidently. "He was rather puzzled over the clue you left to your whereabouts, but he saw it would be futile to chase you further, and returned to Imladris the next morning. And now you are on your way back there, I suppose."  
  
Deidre blushed. She was quite unused to having people find out her plans. "Yes, grandfather, I am. I do have one request of you and grandmother, though."  
  
"And that is?" Celeborn asked.  
  
"Would you and grandmother please accompany me to Imladris for Midwinter? I'm sure the twins and Arwen would greatly enjoy it if you were there, and I would, too," Deidre requested, hoping they would say yes. All her plans hinged on them going with her to Imladris.  
  
"Of course we'll accompany you, Deidre. It will be nice to visit there again," Galadriel replied, sensing Deidre's reason for them to accompany her. Deidre was worried about what would happen when she returned, and thought that having her grandparents there would make it better, somehow. "We'll leave as soon as your grandfather can arrange an escort. Now, I believe I am not mistaken in thinking that you could use a bath right now, eh?"  
  
Deidre followed Galadriel to the rooms that had been prepared for her. Deidre knew her grandmother had known she was coming, that she had seen it in her mirror. It was nothing new to her. "I'll see you in the morning, Deidre," Galadriel said, leaving the room.  
  
At last, Deidre thought, sinking into the warm water of her bath. There was nothing like a steaming hot bath after a long trek on the road, at least to her. She dunked her head under the water, letting the peace and stillness fill her mind. Deidre could hold her breath longer than most Elves, which was due to the fact that during the spring and summer, she took regular swims in a secluded pond in the woods near Imladris.  
  
For some reason, thoughts seemed to come to her more clearly when she was underwater. Not that I'd ever tell anyone that, she thought. Deidre had a hard time trusting people, and usually kept to herself, never baring her soul for fear of getting hurt, not even telling her grandparents what she thought in her heart of hearts. In the past, Arwen had been the only one she had felt comfortable explaining her views on things to, but now, after he long stay in Fangorn Forest, she found that Fangorn was remarkably understanding. Maybe it's because he's an Ent, she thought. Or maybe he's just weird, like me. Either way, I don't feel like I have anything to fear from him, and that's something I can't say about most people I've met.  
  
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They rode for Imladris the next morning, Deidre riding at the front with her grandmother and grandfather. Yet, as they drew nearer to Imladris, Deidre grew more and more silent, spending her time thinking, with a look of deep seriousness on her face. Galadriel began to worry, but her worries soon faded when Deidre spoke to her.  
  
"Daernaneth, can I ask you a question?" Deidre asked softly as they rode. They were only two day's ride from Imladris, and would arrive three days before Midwinter night. The time of Deidre's meeting with her family was drawing near, and Galadriel could sense her granddaughter's nervousness.  
  
"Of course you can, Deidre. What is it you wish to ask?"  
  
Deidre hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "I-I've been thinking a lot lately, and I'm wondering about something, something important."  
  
"And that is?"  
  
"Well, since you know so much, I thought you might be able to help me. See, you know I used to call them Naneth and Ada, back when I thought they were my parents, but now I don't know what to call them." Deidre looked to her grandmother for an answer.  
  
By 'them', Deidre obviously means Elrond and Celebrian, Galadriel thought. She's so unsure of what will happen, yet I can tell by the determination in her face that she'll take whatever comes, and keep on fighting. "Well, Deidre, it's really your choice. You can go back to calling them 'Naneth' and 'Ada', or you can call them 'Aunt Celebrian' and 'Uncle Elrond'. Do whatever your heart tells you is right."  
  
"I guess I'll have to listen to my heart a bit more closely, then," Deidre said, sinking back into silence.  
  
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*Woohoo! Two chapters in two days! Clio is working overtime, and I can't help writing!  
  
*Next chapter: Deidre makes her decision, and arrives in Imladris. 


	6. Memories and Deidre Makes a Decision

*Thanks to Eglasgromen for her two reviews! Unfortunately, Twister is not mine, he belongs to my friend, Amanda Gray. Charlie does have a friend at my house, though, my little brother and sister's bunny, Cuddles. They get along well, since they came from the same place and their mommies' nesting boxes were next door to each other at the breeder's.  
  
*Also, if you want a silly, side-bursting-with-laughter LOTR spoof, look no further than Lord of the Spoons, by Eglasgromen. Also possibly featuring Charlie the Naz-Bunny, who might be on loan for "security reasons."  
  
*I know I said that Deidre'd be getting to Imladris in this chapter, but I heard this one song on the radio, and it made me decide to do what's going through Deidre's head when she makes her decision. She'll get back to Imladris in the next chapter, I promise!  
  
*And also, I want to thank everyone who reviewed so far, on the internet, and on the printed copies I bring to my school, especially Mitch Olsen, who gave me some great ideas for an upcoming Deidre fic. "Honest, nothing happened, I swear!" *laughs*  
  
*^*^*^*^= flashback & end flashback  
  
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How can I listen to my heart, Deidre thought. I hear it often enough, but I don't think I really understand what it's saying. Swiftrun knew the terrain well, so Deidre felt safe enough to look inside herself. Listen to my heart, listen to my heart, Deidre thought, saying it inside her head like a chant. Well, heart, what do you have to say?  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It was cold, and wet, and she was in pain. Her arm felt like it was on fire, and she couldn't breathe much. Deidre had gone out looking for spring flowers on afternoon, but was surprised by a sudden storm. Scared, Deidre had hidden by a tree, but a dead branch had fallen down on top of her, shaken free by the strong winds. It had thrown Deidre to the ground, breaking her arm and three ribs. The branch was too heavy for her to move, and she had lain there for hours on end, the harsh rain pelting her face and stinging it; the winds tearing at her skin.  
  
But who had risked his own life to go and look for her when the storm arose, who had called for her in the woods, who had used all his strength to pull the branch off Deidre and carry her back to Imladris? And who had healed Deidre as good as new, despite all her heartrending screams of pain when he set the bones? Elrond had.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
And when Deidre had been scared, or had a nightmare, who had she gone to, to make her feel safe? Celebrian. Celebrian would brush Deidre's hair and tell her it was all right, and Deidre always believed it was.  
  
Suddenly, Deidre had a flash of realization: she knew what her choice would be. I guess, she thought, that they really are my parents. Sure, biologically speaking, they aren't, but my other parents died before I could know them. Elrond and Celebrian loved me as their own, and I love them as my parents, and that's all that matters.  
  
The party settled for camp, knowing that the next morning, they would be in Imladris. "I suppose you've made your decision," Galadriel said to her granddaughter as they gathered around the campfire.  
  
"Yes, Daernaneth, I have," Deidre replied between bites of the roasted rabbit that was the night's meal.  
  
"And it is?"  
  
"I'm keeping it secret until tomorrow, if that's all right," Deidre said, and didn't say another word for the rest of the night.  
  
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"Master Elrond?" came a servant's voice from the door of Elrond's study. "I have news from the sentries." The days to Midwinter were growing fewer, and as each day passed, Elrond wondered more and more of Deidre really would come back.  
  
"What do they say?" Elrond asked irritably. Probably just another log in the river, or something unimportant like that.  
  
The servant's voice wavered. "The Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn, as well as the Lady Deidre and an escort, are camped not far from our borders. They should be arriving in Imladris by midmorning tomorrow."  
  
'Thank you," Elrond said, trying to seem serious, while in fact, he felt as if a great load had been taken off his shoulders. As soon as the servant left, he would tell Celebrian and the children. Deidre was coming back!  
  
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* Next chapter will be up soon, don't worry! I just love writing, and already have 3 sequels planned, at least. The first chapter in the next installment in the Deidre series, Pheonix Rising, will be up a few days after the last chapter of this one. 


	7. Reunion

*Thanks to Elgasgromen for her mention of Charlie the Naz-Bunny in her story! I advise you all to read it!  
  
*Also, please read Lullabies of Broadway by The Phantom, where Lord of the Rings characters sing your favorite Broadway songs! It's hilarious!  
  
*This will not be the last chapter, everyone! There will be one or two more to wrap things up. And, a sequel, entitled Pheonix Rising, will be up shortly after. In Pheonix Rising, well, I'm not giving it all away, but it all starts with a little prank..  
  
*And now, the long-awaited part of my story..da da dummmm..Deidre's arrival in Imladris!  
  
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As Deidre rode into Imladris, her heart leaped. What was going to happen? She saw Elrond, Celebrian, Arwen, and the twins, and dismounted. Arwen ran toward her, and Deidre bent down, hugging her and spinning her around in the air.  
  
"Deidre! I knew you'd come back!" Arwen said, her little arms around Deidre's neck.  
  
"Of course I came back, Arwen. We're sisters, no matter what. Did you really think I'd leave you?" Deidre replied, setting Arwen back down on the ground. "Now let me go greet everyone else."  
  
Elladan and Elrohir rushed up to Deidre. "Knew you'd be back," Elladan said. "Elrohir wasn't too sure though." Elrohir scowled at his twin.  
  
"And leave Naneth her without me to keep you from wrecking the place? Never," Deidre says as she messed up their hair.  
  
She then walked up to Elrond and Celebrian. Now, the hard part, she thought, gulping.  
  
There was an awkward silence. Finally, Celebrian broke it by saying, "Welcome home, Deidre."  
  
Deidre hugged Elrond and Celebrian. "I missed you, Ada and Naneth. I'm sorry for running off like that. I just needed time to think. And I've decided something."  
  
"What is that?" asked Elrond, afraid of what he would hear in reply.  
  
"You were always there for me when I needed you, no matter what. When I was scared, you comforted me; when I was hurt, you healed me. You are the ones who have cared for me all my life, and that makes you my parents, no matter who they biologically were. You're my parents, and that's that."  
  
Tears came to Celebrian's eyes, and she hugged Deidre, not knowing what to say.  
  
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*I know, this chapter was super short, but the next one will be up soon, don't worry. It's just that I wanted the reunion to have its own chapter.  
  
*Anyway, the next one will be up soon, hopefully. However, I do have Science Olympiads to prepare for, plus a Geography report on Greece that my partner won't do any work on, and two articles to write for the school newspaper, so please be patient! 


	8. Coming of Age Final Chapter

*Sorry I haven't updated in so long! I had Science Olympiads, in which Drew (who not only is my best friend, but a big fan of my writing as well) and I placed 3rd in Mission Possible. I also had a bit of an accident that injured my arm, but it's better now. So, now I can write!  
  
*This is the final chapter, everybody! No more! I want to thank all my reviewers, off FF.net and on, for all their support and words of encouragement. I hope you all will read the sequel, Pheonix Rising, which, by the time I post this, will be up, at least the first chapter.  
  
*Oh, and if you like Eowyn/Faramir fics, like me, please read The Houses of Healing, by Siberia, which is REALLY good! Her other fics are superb, as well.  
  
*This chapter is set at Deidre's coming-of-age, approx. three months after her return.  
  
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"This is it," Deidre said to herself as she walked into the hall. "My coming-of-age." She was nervous, for tonight she would officially become an adult. It wasn't like she wasn't prepared, she was a far better scholar than the twins, and she was excellent at fighting. She was a bit unsure about of what would happen.  
  
The hall was filled with light. Practically everyone she knew was there. Elladan clapped her on the back, smiling grandly. "Finally, you've caught up with us," he said, teasing. Their coming-of-age had been the month before, and they had lorded it over her every day since.  
  
"Why not? I've surpassed you in everything else, save the footrace," Deidre replied. The footrace was the only thing they could beat her at, but she didn't mind. She beat them at everything else.  
  
"Very funny," Elrohir said, grinning.  
  
"So's your face, but you don't see me making comments on it," Deidre retorted. Elrohir's face went scarlet, and Elladan snickered. She loved vexing them, Elrohir especially.  
  
She moved over to where Elrond and Celebrian were standing, but was ambushed by Arwen, who jumped up and hugged her. "Now you're of age, you won't stop playing with me, will you?" Arwen asked.  
  
"Of course not! I know how much you like my stories, thithen muinithel," Deidre said, swirling Arwen around, then returning her to the ground. "Now let me go say hello to Naneth and Ada, okay?"  
  
Arwen nodded and trotted off to find someone else to talk to, and Deidre walked over to Celebrian. "You look beautiful!" her aunt said, beaming as she saw Deidre.  
  
"Thanks," Deidre said, blushing. She was wearing a new emerald green dress that matched her eyes and set off her hair quite nicely.  
  
"There's only one thing I can think of that could make you look more wonderful," Celebrian said, pulling a small box from behind her back. "And that's this." 'This' was an exquisite necklace of mithril, on which was strung a single ruby carved into a blooming rose. The rose had emerald leaves, which were veined in silver, and attached to the base of the rose.  
  
Deidre gasped. She had never seen anything so stunning. "Thank you, Naneth," she said, embracing Celebrian. "And you, too, Ada. I've never seen anything so beautiful."  
  
"You're welcome, Deidre," Elrond said, walking over to her. "A rose for the rose-maiden." They laughed. "Rose-maiden" had been Deidre's nickname ever since she was little. It was fitting, for Deidre's hair was often compared to the petals of a rose, and her eyes were as green as newly unfurling leaves. And as for her temper, well, every rose had thorns.  
  
"Hey, let us in on the fun!" Elladan and Elrohir ran over to her, followed by Arwen, and soon everyone was hugging each other, almost crushing Deidre. She would never forget this night, that's for sure.  
  
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As she looked over all the presents she had received that night, Deidre sighed. There was a fine dagger from her grandparents, its handle inlaid with electrum and mithril, which had been her grandmother's when she was younger. Lord Glorfindel had given her some new arrows, along with a note asking for a rematch. Deidre laughed, remembering the look of absolute shock on the older elf's face when Deidre had beaten him in a friendly archery match. Lord Glorfindel Inglorion, slayer of balrogs and one of the mightiest elf-lords in all Middle-Earth, beaten by a youngling! He had been teased about it for weeks.  
  
From the twins, she had received a beautiful silver leather bridle for Swiftrun. Deidre had checked it thoroughly for itching powders and boobytraps. You never could be too careful.  
  
And from Arwen, her sweet little sister, came a small wall hanging, lovingly embroidered. It depicted Arwen and Deidre riding through a field of roses, Deidre on Swiftrun, Arwen on her pony, Blackie. Arwen must've worked so hard on it, making every stitch as perfect as she could. Arwen had always looked up to Deidre, practically hero-worshiping her. Deidre didn't mind having her underfoot most of the time, she liked children. And Arwen was so sweet and trusting, it soothed Deidre's cynical tendencies immensely.  
  
She looked at her other gifts. Several were from young males trying to win favor with her. No sense of originality in the bunch. Typical gifts to a maiden: combs for her hair, poems praising her beauty, that sort of thing. Frankly, the whole business of courting made Deidre nauseous. What maiden in her right mind would give up her freedom?  
  
When Celebrian had explained to Deidre the facts of life, as well as the rules of courting, Deidre's first reaction had been to gag and act like she was going to throw up. While it may have seemed juvenile, it perfectly expressed Deidre's views on that particular aspect of life. She had vowed never to fall in love. It was nice, as a concept, even worth dying for, she supposed. But she never cared for it herself. When you were in love, you gave away part of yourself to another person. She didn't think she could trust anyone enough to do that. She doubted she ever would.  
  
She sighed and out her gifts away, getting into her nightdress. She had a family that loved her, a home, and enough secret places nearby to hide in for any but the most dire situations. Life was good.  
  
THE END  
  
*At the time of this posting, the first chapter of the sequel, Pheonix Rising, is up. A little storytelling and a harmless prank go out of hand. What will happen when Elladan and Elrohir play the biggest prank Imladris has ever seen?  
  
*And thanks to all of my reviewers! Especially those not on FF.net! That includes Laura, Becca, Annalyse, Drew, Alex, Mitch, Alex (not a typo, there I know two guys names Alex), Mike, Regan, and last but not least, compassionforothers, who reviewed over neomail. I really like you guys! And Rachel, I forgive you for making fun of Legolas. Sam is okay, I suppose, if you like that sort of thing. Thanks for the great plot Naz- Bunny, by the way! 


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